“I’m sorry, honey,” Fix whispered into the space between them. “I just want you to be safe.”
Liam was glad his face was tucked into King’s ruff so it could hide the way he winced at the genuine care and raw emotion in Fix’s voice. He couldn’t let go of this fire though, this stupid courage. If he did he didn’t know if he would ever get it back.
He couldn’t live like this anymore. If he had to spend one more second waiting around for the other shoe to drop, he didn’t know if the curse would get him first or if he’d just give up entirely. Fix was sympathetic and knew better than most what curses could do to a person, but no one could truly understand what this felt like.
Years. This had been his reality for fucking years, thinking he was broken and cursed and just meant to be miserable for eternity.
He wanted a day of reckoning. A chance to fight back on his own terms before the end could find him first.
However that turned out.
He eventually heard Fix drop off behind him and turned over once it was safe to stare at his face. He did that for hours, memorizing every inch, until the sun began to threaten the horizon and he’d run out of time.
Fix’s phone lit up the darkness and Liam quickly rolled back over as Fix stirred. He felt the bed shift as Fix checked him over first, like he’d started to do every morning before he grabbed his phone.
“Hello?” he said, voice deep and rough. There was silence for a moment as he listened. “I can be there in half an hour, then send me the details for the case after that in an hour. The first one shouldn’t take me too long. Is everyone else at work already?”
Another pause.
“Just Wren? I’ll ask him to watch over Liam then. See you.” He hung up and then slipped out of bed, heading for the bathroom.
Liam’s heart was racing, already knowing he wouldn’t be getting a better opportunity than this. A red carpet had just been rolled out in front of him.
Fix got dressed while Liam continued to pretend to sleep. When he was done he approached the bed and bent down to lay a kiss on Liam’s temple. Liam watched his back as he left, hoping today wouldn’t be the last time he saw it.
He waited for the sound of the front door closing before he grabbed his phone and logged into his streaming account, finding a provocative picture of himself and posting it to his followers with a caption and a time with today’s date.
Who misses me?
No backing out.
He got ready for the day, grabbing everything he’d mentally listed, shoving it into a bag, and leaving it by the front door before using some of the adrenaline coursing through him to feed and take care of King.
He saw a wrapped bowl on the kitchen counter with his name on it in Fix’s handwriting and nearly broke, but he took some deep breaths and told himself it was fine. He could get scolded and punished later. They could have the argument to end all arguments. At least he would be around to participate in it.
He just needed to get past the only obstacle left.
Wren.
He walked out the back door with King on his leash, finding Wren dressed in a faded, baggy conservation shirt and shorts, crouched on bare feet next to a huge coop and hutch with a fully fenced attachment spanning twenty feet at least that had a sign on top that said ‘The Cluck Hut and Fluffy Butt Friends.’ The second part was scribbled on like it had been added later.
Liam could hear the telltale cluck of chickens and walked closer to see all colors and varieties of them walking around, pecking at the feed Wren had just scattered for them.
Among the chickens seemed to be a variety of other animals, from ducks to pheasants and even one humongous rabbit that looked half the size of King.
Wren was doting on all of them, the blue bird perched in his messy hair, trying to steal pieces of feed.
“Were all of them cursed?” Liam asked, keeping a tight hold on King so he didn’t go attacking the fence.
He’d shown zero interest in any other animal since he’d had him. He didn’t chase cats or bark at birds. He’d only ever become aggressive or wary when mixing with other dogs or people, which was understandable given his background, but it was better to be safe than sorry.
Wren glanced over at him and smiled in greeting before looking back at the animals. “They were. Domesticated animals, especially in the food and farming trade, are some of the most frequently cursed. People try to cut corners or force animals to overproduce for profits and it backfires. I rescue as many as I can around all my other cases.”
Liam looked at all the animals happily living their lives under Wren’s tender care and his heart ached for them like it had for King. “I’m glad they have you.”
“It’s not enough, but it’s something,” Wren said, giving the giant rabbit one last pet before closing the door, standing upright, and brushing off his hands. “What’s up? Do I need to call Fix back to break a curse? He didn’t leave too long ago.”
“Nothing like that.” Liam pulled on his best actor’s face. “I was just taking King for a walk around, but I feel bad. He hasn’t been for a proper walk since we’ve been here. I don’t know the grounds well enough and it’s not a good idea for me to be out and about and he won’t go to anyone else.”
